By Rev Sandy Brodine
The Younger Generations team had the pleasure of welcoming Dr Dave Gregory to Melbourne recently as part of his Science and Faith Converse tour of Australia and New Zealand.
Dave, formerly an astrophysicist and President of the Baptist Union in the UK, is passionate about science and faith and particularly about how we can use these discussions in Messy Church.
Dave is the instigator of ‘Messy Church does Science’ and is part of the team behind ‘Messy Church goes Wild!’ and ‘Messy Adventures’, programs aimed at getting Messy Churches outdoors, experiencing nature and engaging with questions of faith, and God’s call on us to care for creation.
There were two main highlights of Dave’s visit.
Firstly, he met with a group of leading environmental scientists and others from the science community for a conversation about how scientists can facilitate discussions about science and faith.
Most of the scientists who joined us were also Christians, and keen to advance the conversation about science and the environment.
A key topic of conversation was about how to engender a sense of hope among younger people about care for the environment, and encouraging us all to make as many small changes as we can to play a part in saving our environment.
Finally on the Saturday, Dave led an experiential day where we had a go at ‘Messy Church does Science’.
Dave took us through an astronaut preparation course, testing our reflexes, sight, and hearing, and we made oxygen as well.
Later we went out into Royal Park and experienced ‘Messy Church goes Wild Australian style’.
We made journey sticks, played with ‘phone microscopes’ and sang, wondered, and prayed about our role in caring for the environment God has created and blessed us with.
If you are wondering about how your congregation or faith community can engage around issues of science and faith, or how to set up a Messy Church, please contact me on the Younger Generations team.
Rev Sandy Brodine is Younger Generations – Education and Strategy Co-ordinator within equipping Leadership for Mission